As three friends had breakfast on a recent Sunday morning, the conversation turned to basement floors. While this was not a normal topic, one of the friends had recently purchased a home with a basement finished with top-of-the-line wall-to-wall carpeting. When she moved in, she realized that while there was an electric sump pump, there was no backup in case of a power failure. Before she could have a backup pump installed, the worst happened – a power failure and a flooded basement. She not only lost all of her carpeting, but had to pay to have it removed. While the walls survived, the basement floor was a total mess.
She mentioned that she was thinking of having tile installed instead of carpet. Her friend, Pat, shook her head. “I had tile in my basement when it flooded. The tiles started popping up almost immediately.” What a mess!
Anyone who lives in the Chicago area understands the very real threat of flooded basements.
The third friend had an answer: an epoxy decorative concrete coating system. She told her friends that the Garage Store in East Dundee installed these floors throughout the Chicago suburbs, and that they solved many of the problems with basement floors.
Besides flooding, concrete floors are prone dusty and prone to mold and mildew – a problem that exists even when the floor is covered with carpeting. Both friends mentioned a “musty” smell in their basements even with carpet and tile.
For many homeowners, finished basements are an economical alternative to home additions, and can provide a lot of usable space for children to play, for a workroom for dad or even a home gym – away from the main living area. However, the below-grade space presents its own set of problems. In fact, a basement floor makes up over 40% of surface space that generates moisture. Floor coverings such as carpet, vinyl or laminate can harbor mold, mildew and other allergens.
The Garage store concrete coating systems significantly reduce humidity, mold and mildew, while transforming any basement into an attractive and functional living space. These systems permanently bond to concrete, creating a flood-proof floor. They are extremely easy to clean and maintain and significantly reduce the moisture emitted through a concrete floor.
After breakfast that day, all three friends were convinced that while flooding may be a fact of life in Northern Illinois, having an epoxy concrete system might be the best way to mitigate any damage, while still enjoying the extra space their basements provide.